Automatic series cut-out switch



April 16, 1935.

J. L. SHEA AUTOMATIC SERIES CUT-OUT SWITCH Filed April 12, 1933 37 I a I "finv L .,..il. Mil!!! Inventor": 7 Joseph L. Shea, b W Hi8 Attorney P d Ap 1 6?, 1 r I I r AU 'IOMA'I'K} SERIES CUT OUT-SWITCH Joseph L. SheaQNashua, NL 11., assigninto Gen v cral Electric Company, a corporation of New Q Yon-k1 o ApplicationAprfl:12,i1933,.SeflalNo;%865;696 f c ,atclaimsrfwl. 175 -294) 4 I V p I r My inventionrrelates' to automaticseries"out; 12 and -18. In thisjpo'sition of the arm ifi the out switchesand more particularly to automaticonductors'ln and I2 are connected to" each other cally-operated' series cut-iout'switches for isolating through contacts I1 and 23 and the conductors a sectionot a series circuit when a break occurs II and II arcconnected to each otherthrough 5 therein; l I c contacts-wand 24 whereby theloop circuitand *5 Tha -automaticallyoperated series cu't-out the main circuit'areconnected-in serieswith each switches heretofore usedhave heen -operatedby other-.2 1 I a coilenergized by current-from the maincircuit. When theiarm I6 is in the down" position the Th switchesare ai tain d in thefgopen posicontacts 18 and "engage respectively contacts tion as long as thezl coil i's energizedi-"lf, 'how- 26"and 21 which are connected to each other 10' ever, the coil becomes 'deenei'gized, the cut-out through conductor 28. If ,=therefore,the arm l6 switch closes and connects 'theends or the broken ls-in the down position themonductors 10 and H circuitto ithemain circuit; This is dangerous to are connectedto eachotherthroughc c s I any one coming in contact with thejconductors 20,26 and '21 and conductor '28; the contacts 23 of the'brolwn circuit; r T f r l v a and 24 be'ing isolatedtrom the main circuit. 15

It is the-'principal robject ot zny invention to -The operat n shaft zz ror"the arm I6, is providea se'riescut-out switch, which will open in mounted=--'i'or verticallmovement in guide bearresponse-to a break in the section fo't't he circuit 1118 2 39 and is pivotally Connected, y whichris to -be isolated, andto maintain the out; pin '3 to n uatins 'ar'fl. Th ar 33 isin out switchopen-'independently ot current in its tur piv d fi pp t 35 and is'moved 201 operating coil: or independently-cr me current-in vertically-by to gle- 33 Link thefm'aincireuit, j I r I '36 is pivotally'attach'edto the bar the link The novel features whichI believe to belchar i p votallyattached to a fixed supp and, acteristic of my invention are pointed-out inthe the link 38 is pivotallyattached to thetwolinks appended claims. .My invention itself, however,- .3 and 37 h 'fi P P n L The I will'be'best understood by reference [to the ac nd 39 ay kc D' companying drawingin which Fig *1 illustrates exerts. thrust-against the pin and thereby lift diagrammatically a loop circuit, containing -a, the arm l fi to its -upper"posi tion. *The thrust relatively few lamps, connected in serieswith toggle is operatedbyihahdle'lf'thl'flughlevers so a main circuit by a senescutwut c t 1 42 and 43 andshart'; the shaftM being mount accordance with my invention, and Fig,-2 illused i'or rotationin bearings 46 and 41-. As shown trates the samecircuit disconnected andthe cu in Fig; 1, therefore, the arm l8 maintained in out switch in its open position. its upper position by'tog'glesfSB-tl and 38 38,

"Referring'to the drawing in detail, the main levers" and ,shaftllahdaSD S- WhiChiS' circuit is represented by conductors mend-th n nne t d ee fi e supp a d lever circuit including conductors l2 and I3 and a rela 2-; I to l fit fi t e 8- 39 tively few lamps, which" may bereferred to as and p t a n t n b tw n arin 1 t loop circuit arranged t be o n etedint 29 and bar It to force arm" l6 downward, so that the main circuit through cooperating contacts" contacts" and In en "and 21,- a

in the cut-out'switch.- I p i pint! operatedby anarmatu're52 of a coil 53' 40: I The cut-out switch includes 'anar'm It made of isp 0vided.- 1 p insulatingmaterial 'andhas' attached to its re- In a da w t my inv nti nth oil 53 is spective ends contacts I'Ig'lB, l9 and 20'. The energized upcncccurr n c 'f'abr ak'i t l p contacts I! and IB are attached to one end of the circuit by currentfiowingracross a spark "gap and arm and are connectedto-themain line conduc when the'coil has opera to collapse the 8- tor I O. The contacts Hand 20 areattachedto gles, the arm 'lfi is moved down by the action of the -otherend or the arm l6 and are connected Spring p fl' main ll t d to the main line conductor II. The arm I6 is to simultaneously shunt the coil 53. It is mainmounted on a'shaft 22 which is arranged to hold tained in this position until reset by movement the arm l6 inan up or down position and move of handle 4| as will hereinafter be explained. In 0 the bar from one to the other of these two posithis manner the loop circuit remains isolated tions. I v from the main circuit independently of the cur- When the arm I6 is in the up" position the rent in the coil 53 and independently of the cur-' contacts I! and I9 engage respectivelycontacts rent in the main circuit. a

23 and 2 4, which are connected to'the conductors I As stated above, the tripping coil is connected across the gap in the main circuit in multiple with the loop circuit and in series with a pair of spaced electrodes. The circuit may be traced from conductor ID to conductor 54, coil 53, conductor 55, electrode base 55, electrode arm 51 and electrode 58, electrode 59, conductor 60. Electrode 58 is spaced from electrode 59 a distance such that when a break occurs in the loop circuit an arc will easily start across the space between the two electrodes and will flow through electrode 59 and conductor 60 to conductors I, the other side of the line. The coil 53 is, therefore, in series with the gap between electrodes 58 and 59, and when the line potential builds up across these two electrodes the coil 53 is energized by the current flowing across this gap. A second pair of electrodes 6| and 52 is provided for use while resetting the cut-out, as will hereinafterbe explained.

After the switch has been tripped automatically, it may bereset by pushing handle 4| upwards against the force of spring 48. The lever arm 42, shaft 44 and lever arm 43. are thereby rotated clockwise and the links 38 and 39 are straightened with respect to each other until they arelocked into thrusting position. The handle 4| is then pulled down. The locked toggle 38-39 is pushed forward by lever 43 against the knee of the toggle 3537 and the arm I6 is lifted until the contacts I! and i9 engage respectively the contacts 23 and 24. When the handle 4| is pulled down to the limit of its movement as determined by the adjustable stop 53 mounted on shaft 44, the parts are in such relation that the pull of the spring 48 on lever 42 is sufiicient to hold the arm H5 in its upper position.

The action of the cut-out is clearly shown in a simplified manner in Fig. 2. When a break occurs in the loop circuit, due to a burned-out lamp M for example, current will flow from the conductor ll through conductor 60 to electrode 59. As explained above, this electrode is so spaced from the electrode 58 that when the line potential builds up across them, after the loop circuit is broken, an arc will be established across this gap and current will flow to electrode 58, conductor 55, coil 53, conductor 54 to conductor ID, the other main line conductor. As soon as current flows in the coil 53, the pin 5| is raised and breaks the toggle 38 39 and arm I6 is forced down by spring 50. The coil circuit is shunted and the main circuit is closed as soon as the arm IE reaches its down position. Then in order to reset or reclose the cut-out switch the handle 4| is raised to turn the shaft 44 clockwise.

A second pair of electrodes 6| and 62 is provided for establishing a shunt circuit about the contacts I! and I9 while they are being moved into contact with the loop circuit contacts 23 and 24. This shunt is established with the aid of a lever 64 mounted on shaft 44. An insulating member 65 is attached to this lever 64 and engages the electrode, arms 51 and 66 when the cut-out is in the closed position. The electrode arms are thereby turned about their respective pivots in the base 56 and the electrodes are spaced a predetermined distance from each other. When the handle 4| is pushed upward, however, to straighten the toggle 3839, the member 65 is raised and the electrodes are forced into engagement with each other by a spring 61, thus establishing the shunt circuit around the contacts H and Hi. This shunt circuit may be traced from conductor II to conductor 60, electrodes 59 and 58, electrode arm 51, base 56, arm 56, electrodes 6| and 52 to conductor III. This shunt circuit, therefore, insures the transfer of connections while no current is flowing through the contacts.

I have thus provided a practical series cut-out which operates positively to separate a loop circuit from a main circuit and which will maintain this separation of the circuits independently of the current in the operating coil and independently of the current in the main circuit.

What I claim asnew and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:-

1. A cut-out switch including a pair of stationary contacts connected respectively to the ends of a loop circuit, a second pair of stationary contacts connected to each other, a pair of movable contacts connected to a main circuit and arranged for movement between said pairs of stationary contacts, a toggle mechanism arranged to hold said movable contacts in engagement with said loopcircuit contacts, a pair of spaced electrodes and a trip coil connected across the movable contacts in series with each other so as to receive current from said main circuit when said loop circuit breaks, and means responsive to the energization of said coil for tripping said toggle mechanism whereby the loop and said trip coil are disconnected from the main circuit and said movable contacts engage said second pair of stationary contacts. 2. A cut-out switch including a pair of stationary contacts connected respectively to the ends of a loop circuit, a second pair of stationary contacts connected to each other, a pair of movable contacts connected to a main circuit and arranged to engage respectively said stationary contacts, a toggle mechanism arranged to hold said movable contacts in engagement with said loop circuit contacts, a pair of spaced electrodes and a coil connected in series with each other and in multiple with said movable contacts arranged to trip said toggle mechanism when energized, and means for maintaining said movable contacts in engagement with said second pair of stationary contacts when said toggle is tripped.

3. In combination, a loop circuit, amain circuit, a cut-out device arranged to connect said loop circuit in series with said main circuit, a trip coil, means connected in series with said trip coil and arranged to pass current from said main circuit to said coil in shunt to said loop circuit when said loop circuit breaks, means responsive to the energization of said trip coil for disconnecting said loop circuit from said main circuit, means for closing the gap in said main circuit simultaneously with the disconnection of said loop circuit from said main circuit, and means independent of the current in said main circuit for maintaining said circuit disconnected.

JOSEPH L. SHEA. 

